Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene (WSLH) Research Scientist Dr. Martin Shafer gave a UW Wednesday Nite @ the Lab talk on the topic of “Environmental Forensics: Adventures in Plasma Mass Spectrometry” featuring the WSLH Trace Elements Clean Lab.

Dr. Shafer discussed the theory and practice of plasma mass spectrometry through case studies in which WSLH scientists have applied this technology to address questions of environmental forensics in disciplines ranging from archaeology to glaciology to air-pollution source attribution.

Watch it here: https://www.biotech.wisc.edu/webcams?lecture=20170322_1900

 

Here are some items of note from Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene (WSLH) scientists from the past few months –

 

Newborn Screening Receives New Disorders Implementation Award

The WSLH Newborn Screening Laboratory received a New Disorders Implementation Award from the Association of Public Health Laboratories (APHL).

The award provides funding for the WSLH to become a Peer Network Resource Center and to develop next-generation sequencing 2nd tier testing to find underlying genetic causes for three disorders – Pompe, Mucopolysaccharidosis 1 (MPS-1) and X-linked Adrenoleukodystrophy (X-ALD).

As a Peer Network Resource Center, led by Dr. Mei Baker, the scientists at the Newborn Screening Laboratory and the UW Biotechnology Center will serve as content area experts and offer newborn screening, educational training, and/or technical assistance to other newborn screening programs. Wisconsin is one of only three state newborn screening programs to be funded as a Peer Network Resource Center.

Once validated, the 2nd tier next generation sequencing analysis that  the WSLH and UW Biotechnology Center are developing will be offered to states that have already implemented 1st tier newborn screening testing for these disorders.

APHL news release – http://www.marketwired.com/printer_friendly?id=2193375

 

Research Looks at Method to Extract Cryptosporidium from Soil to Aid in Drinking Water Analysis

The parasite Cryptosporidium was responsible for the largest documented waterborne disease outbreak in United States history when in 1993 in Milwaukee it caused illness in more than 400,000 people and the deaths of at least 69 people. When the pathogen is present in drinking water supplies, it is a serious threat to humans. But how does it get into the water?

Researchers suspect that one route is through soil. And while USEPA has published a method to analyze drinking water for Cryptosporidium (USEPA Method 1623.1), there is no comparable USEPA soil extraction method.

To overcome this barrier, scientists at the Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene (Dr. Sharon Long and Jeremy Olstadt), the University of Wisconsin-Madison Department of Biological Systems Engineering, and UW-Madison Department of Soil Sciences (Dr. Long) developed and evaluated a Cryptosporidium soil extraction method capable of producing an extracted fluid containing the pathogen that could be purified and enumerated using USEPA Method 1623.1.

Their research is published in Agricultural and Environmental Letters – “Cryptosporidium Soil Extraction by Filtration/IMS/FA Compatible with USEPA Method 1623.1”

 

What’s Killing the Honey Bees?

For several years, scientists, farmers and beekeepers have raised alarms about the increasing loss of honey bee hives. Honey bees play a key role in food production for humans by pollinating flowering crop plants.

An article in PLOS One, recounts the discovery of one bacterium that may be playing a part in honey bee hive loss – Serratia marcescens Strain Sicaria (Ss1). WSLH Communicable Disease Division Deputy Director Dr. David Warshauer contributed to the research.

“Sepsis and Hemocyte Loss in Honey Bees (Apis mellifera) Infected with Serratia marcescens Strain Sicaria” (PLOS One)

Wisconsin Occupational Health Laboratory (WOHL) Advanced Microbiologist Terri Williams facilitated the development of a new ASTM International test method that will help laboratories identify mold from tape lift samples. Tape lift samples are sometimes used as part of occupational health and air quality investigations. The method was developed by ASTM International’s committee on air quality.

According to the ASTM International news release – “The new tape lift sample test method includes how to prepare a sample for observation under direct-light microscopy.  It also outlines the equipment needed and provides step-by-step instructions to perform the analysis. Finally, the standard states what a lab should report to its customer, at a minimum.”

Williams, a member of ASTM committee D22 Air Quality and the subcommittee D22.08 on Mold Sampling and Analysis, volunteered to be a technical contact for this method. Since ASTM International uses a voluntary consensus process, Williams facilitated discussions and recorded edits to the method in progress at each ASTM meeting she attended. The process can take many revisions over years.

“After each vote cycle, I would reach out to members who voted negative and discuss their views in addition to other comments recorded in the voting process,” Williams explains. “Any comments or discussion I had individually with the member, I would take back to the committee for edits in addition to those comments already on record and we would them incorporate if they were found persuasive. The cycle would perpetuate until there were no persuasive negative votes and all comments were addressed.”

ASTM International is a globally recognized leader in the development and delivery of voluntary consensus standards. Today, over 12,000 ASTM standards are used around the world to improve product quality, enhance health and safety, strengthen market access and trade, and build consumer confidence.

Schoeneck Containers, Inc. (SCI), a plastic container manufacturer in New Berlin, Wis., is featured as a “Small Business Success Story” by the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA).

The story highlights the collaboration between SCI staffers and expert consultants from Wisconsin’s Onsite Safety and Health Consultation Program (WisCon) to improve SCI’s safety and health culture.

The collaboration resulted in SCI achieving SHARP status a year after they and WisCon began working together.

SHARP stands for Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program and is a recognition program by OSHA and state consultation programs for companies who have excellent health and safety program management systems in place.

SCI has maintained its SHARP status since 2004.

Edstrom Industries, Inc., a producer of laboratory and agricultural animal watering solutions and environmental monitoring in Waterford, Wis., received their fifth SHARP recertification from OSHA and the WSLH Onsite Safety and Health Consultation Program (WisCon).

Edstrom first received SHARP status in 2004 and have recertified that status every three years since. Their current recertification lasts until November 2019.

SHARP is a recognition program for companies who have excellent health and safety program management systems in place.

To achieve SHARP status, a company must:

• Have a history of maintaining an injury and illness rate below the national average for its industry
• Participate in a comprehensive consultation visit for both safety and health
• Participate in a full evaluation of the health and safety management program in place for the company
• Involve employees in the consultation and safety management processes
• Correct all serious, other-than-serious, and regulatory hazards found
• Have all basic elements for managing health and safety in place

You can’t see it, you can’t smell it, you can’t taste it, it could kill you – and it may be a problem in your home. What is it? Radon.

In this January 25, 2017 webinar, WSLH Radiochemistry Supervisor Tracy Hanke talks about this natural (radioactive) breakdown of uranium in soil, rock and water that gets into the air you breathe. How do you find it? What are the health effects? What can you do about it?

January is National Radon Action Month and homeowners interested in testing their homes for radon have many options.

The Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene offers radon testing.

Homeowners can also contact Radon Information Centers or certified radon measurement contractors for testing or buy a test kit at a hardware store.

For more information on radon, health concerns, and a list certified radon reduction contractors, please see the WI Division of Health Services radon website at lowradon.org.

Please note the following changes to the Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene’s operations due to the observance of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day holiday.

The table below lists the hours of operations for our Clinical Specimen Receiving departments. We will have staffing to accept clinical specimens at both our 2601 Agriculture Drive and our 465 Henry Mall facilities on Saturday, January 14^th.

As always, if you have an off-hours emergency, please call the WSLH Emergency Pager at 608-263-3280.

 

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, there were 104 Wisconsin workers who died due to injury in 2015. This number reflects an increase from 99 fatalities in 2014. Wisconsin’s overall fatality rate also increased from 3.5 to 3.6 deaths per 100,000. The number of workplace deaths in Wisconsin the past decade (2006-2015) range from 77 in 2008 to 114 in 2012, and average 98 fatalities annually.

The final count of occupational fatalities in the U.S. in 2015 was 4,836, according to national figures released last Friday. This was an increase from the revised total of 4,821 in 2014. The overall fatality rate decreased from 3.43 to 3.38 cases per 100,000 full time employees.

 Key findings for Wisconsin in 2015:

• Work-related fatality rates decreased for agriculture, professional business services, and education and health services industries, and increased for construction, transportation, manufacturing, and wholesale and retail trade.
• Transportation incidents caused the most fatalities, a 21% increase from the prior year.
• Exposures to harmful substances or environments increased from 5 to 11 incidents.
• Fatal injuries to females in 2015 decreased from 12 in 2014 to 4 in 2015.
• Employees age 55 to 64 sustained the highest number of fatalities.

Industry

In 2015, 95 of the 104 work-related deaths in Wisconsin occurred within private industry. Public sector worker deaths increased from 5 deaths in 2014 to 9 in 2015. Agriculture, fishing, forestry, and hunting

fatality count decreased from 27 to 26. Fatalities in the professional and business services industry decreased from 13 to 7, while the trade, transportation, and utilities increased from 17 to 24. Manufacturing industry deaths rose from 11 in 2014 to 14 in 2015, while fatalities in the construction industry remained unchanged at 14.

Event

Transportation incidents comprised the highest number of fatal work injuries with 46 incidents, an increase from 39 incidents in 2014. Falls, slips, and trips increased slightly from 16 in 2014 to 17 last year, while fatal contact injuries decreased from 22 to 18. Violent events decreased from 15 in 2014 to 11 in 2015. Deaths due to exposure to harmful substance or environments increased from 5 to 11 incidents.

Worker Characteristics and Occupation

Of the 104 fatalities, 14 workers were in contractor status, and 39 were self-employed. The highest number of fatal work injuries occurred among age group 55 to 64 with 26 deaths, followed by age 45 to 54 with 22, and age 65 years or older with 19. Management occupations sustained the greatest number of fatal injuries in 2015 at 20 incidents, followed by transportation and material moving occupations with 19 deaths. Construction and extraction occupations sustained 13 fatalities, 11 deaths occurred among production workers and 10 among farming, fishing, and forestry occupations.

Background of Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries

The Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, part of the BLS occupational safety and health statistics program, compiles a count of all fatal work injuries occurring in the United States during the calendar year. The program uses diverse state, federal, and independent data sources to identify, verify, and describe fatal work injuries. The Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene (WSLH), a part of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, is the state’s public, environmental and occupational health laboratory. The WSLH’s Bureau of Labor Statistics/Occupational Safety and Health Statistics Program has a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics to conduct the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries in Wisconsin.

 

For more about Wisconsin Work-related fatalities, go to www.slh.wisc.edu/bls.

For more about U.S. Work-related fatalities, go to https://www.bls.gov/iif/news.htm

The Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene Forensic Toxicology section provides alcohol and drug testing  for law enforcement agencies in Wisconsin for traffic safety and other motor vehicle matters (boats, ATVs and snowmobiles) in support of Wisconsin’s impaired driving laws.

 

OWI Samples

On Dec. 7, 2016, the toxicology section issued reminder guidance to law enforcement agencies that the WSLH will accept and test OWI blood samples for any OWI offense or crash, felony or otherwise. Memo

 

Dane County Roadside Oral Fluid Project

The WSLH Forensic Toxicology section is working with Dane County law enforcement agencies as part of the Dane County Roadside Oral Fluid Project, which focuses on suspected drugged driving. The WSLH recently published a summary of Phase 1 of the project.  Phase 2 is currently underway.

 

Please note the following changes to the Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene’s operations due to the observance of the Christmas and New Year’s holidays.

The table below lists the hours of operations for our Clinical Specimen Receiving department. We will have staffing to accept clinical specimens at both our 2601 Agriculture Drive and our 465 Henry Mall facilities.

Testing will be performed in our Newborn Screening laboratory on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve. As always, if you have an off-hours emergency, please call the WSLH Emergency Pager at 608-263-3280.